Question about feeling cold

[FitFossil]

When I was "skinny-fat", not eating very much, and generally feeling like crap, I was cold all the time.

Now I have more muscle, eat a lot more, and have much less bodyfat. I never get those cold feelings anymore.

I have this acquaintance who likes to brag how cold she always is (as if this was something to brag about). She always says (bragging again ) it's because she has "low bodyfat" when she's actually skinny-fat .

Can someone tell me if feeling cold all the time is more a function of low body fat or rather a slowed-down metabolism due to not eating enough? Or since I have more muscle, is that helping me stay warmer? Is it because muscle is metabolically active, or is it just the muscle mass itself (although my lower body was a lot fatter when I was cold and skinny fat ) I'm just talking in general, not about the coldness people feel when they are hypothyroid.

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

I have no scientific explanation...and while I still have bodyfat that needs to take an exit, I have a ton more muscle and AM NEVER COLD. The girls in my office run around with sweaters on and I wear sleeveless in the office even in winter.

I have to say, even when I was less muscular I was not cold all the time. I am sure it has something to do with me moving around all the time -- even then I took the stairs not the elevator -- walked instead of the subway etc.

 

[JJFigure]

Personally, I was FREEZING to death around my competition - I just couldn't get warm. Now that my bodyfat is a little higher, I'm not very cold (even though it's been quite nippy in the lovely NE).

I assumed it was a combination of low bodyfat and lowered metabolism. I'd been dieting for a while...

 

[Ceebs]

Now I have more muscle, eat a lot more, and have much less bodyfat. I never get those cold feelings anymore.

Bingo.

Muscle is more vascular than fat. More vascularity equals more warm blood getting to shallow(er) tissues, which in turn equals greater tolerance for cold.

 

[Puddles]

I've been cold for almost a year now since I've lost a lot of weight, but adding muscle has not helped to keep me warm. Even if I'm on thermogenics or clen I still don't heat up. My hands are like ice a lot of the time. I will soak in the tub for 30 minutes, keep adding hot water, until I finally warm up. I hate it. I've still got a good amount of fat on me too at 18.5%, but when I was really fat, I was usually too warm. This winter, I've had to keep the heat between 76 to 80 to really be comfortable. I can't wait for the FL summer heat and humidity to warm me up again.

 

[takniteasy]

I'm with you, MsPuddles. I too live in FL and even with my BF% steady at around 18-19, my hands are still like ice. I have a fair amount of muscle myself and still cannot wait for summertime!

 

[wateengedoe2]

I found my diet has more to do with it than my amount of muscle or body fat. When I was bulking, I hardly ever had cold hands anymore (which I used to have ALL the time from sept to may before I started with BB) and now, on a (moderate) cutting diet, they're cold again This started really the first day on my cutting diet, so my metabolism couldn't have gone down thát fast, could it? Anyway, I'll start bulking again about a week or two from now, that will solve the problem .. though sleeveless in winter is still out of the question for me

 

[wilson6]

Metabolic rate and heat generation.

W6

 

[The Ranger]

Also for some, not everyone, as you restrict carbs, and sugar levels drop to the point of Ketosis, that feeling can occur as well.....

Ranger

 

[Puddles]

I haven't been in ketosis for a couple of years. I did the Atkins diet for a while, had to stop because it made me very sluggish and unable to think clearly...not a good thing for work.

I believe I have a fairly slow metabolism...I've had to keep my cal's to 1400/day or under to maintain or loose bf, even while lifting and on thermogenic fat burners. When I've gone over that, like I have recently because I'm on cycle, I gain fat quickly, even if the majority of increased cal's are from protein. I'm up 10 lbs in the past 3 weeks and it's not water retention and not muscle since I've had to lay off the lifting due to injury. I just started back on clen yesterday. I had good results with it a few weeks ago...hope it does me good again! I am doing cardio for a change. Damn treadmill!